Cruising the City

Benvenuti amici!

One of the most common questions I have fielded since proposing the Cream City 500 Club is "When are you starting a Facebook page?" It is a query I awkwardly answer as I have no personal Facebook presence. But I realize it is a powerful promotional and communications tool. 

The value in this e-tool was never more clear than it was yesterday. One or two of our club members was/were running a bit late to our event and forgot the locale of our meeting. Their natural reaction was to search for a FB club page, in hopes to find info there. Of course, there was no page to be found.

So, with two successful meets under our belt and strong weekly readership, we have decided to launch the official Facebook page of the Cream City 500 Club. The proposal of the page is meant to create a user-friendly means of communication from club-to-members & supporters, members & supporters-to-club and, most importantly, members & supporters to other members & supporters. Posting of FIAT-related comments, photos & video clips is welcome. Posting of CC5C-related comments, photos & video clips is welcome. Posting of unrelated comments, photos & video clips is not welcome.

I have visited 'car guy' sites and been witness to the negative impact internet 'trolls' and other unsavory, imposing characters can have on a community. I do not want this negative influence in our community of proposition.

Taken at first CC5C meet - Bergstrom Milwaukee FIAT USA

So, what happens to the CC5C blog? No worries ~ nothing will change here. We will continue to share photos, brand history, stories, tributes and much of the same information in what has become our favored format. We still find tremendous value in blogging. But real-time communication is not a strong feature for blogs. There exists a disconnect which is nearly eliminated with an e-tool like Facebook.

We encourage you to continue to visit both sites on a regular basis. 'Like' us on Facebook ~ communicate with other members, supporters and fans. Use the information found on this blog as a source for some of your discussions. Spread the word and take an active role at our meets. 

On the subject of meets, here are some photos from our first Cream City Cruise. Cream City Cruise is what we call our less than major events. There is still gelato involved, but these are shorter drives and meant to connect, in an exploratory manner, the fine neighborhoods of our great city.

Check it out!

The cruise began at the Halloween Extreme lot on Silver Spring Drive. Some members arrived early enough to enjoy some refreshing gelato on what turned out to be a beautiful September day...

Others arrived a little later or decided to hang out at the lot & show off their FIATs. Pictured above, closest to the camera, are Joe Noto's bianco e rosso 500 Abarth and Mark Friedel's nero, custom striped & modded 500T...

Here is the line-up of eight FIATs in attendance. Two Abarths, one 500T, one X1/9, two Lounges, a Sport and a Pop made up the parade this time. We caused a bit of a stir, as several people stopped to check them out. There was special interest in Sean Kane's 1982 X1/9...

I had to take a quick shot of this classic FIAT badge. The wreath motif is one fans of the CC5C logo are familiar. I created my own spin on the Italian wreath for the club ID. My goal was to pay respect to the past while also making something completely modern and decidedly mine...

After everyone was afforded the time to settle in and catch up with other members, as well as welcome new members, we paraded our 'centos along the lake shore and through the downtown area...

This fantastic shot is courtesy of & © Ben Davis

As you can see, we stopped at the Brewhouse Inn & Suites for a photo op. We were fortunate enough to have a mix of verde chiaro, bianco, argento (the X), grigio and nero FIATs...

This allowed us to stagger the cars artistically. On this side of the line-up, we have Joe's, my own, Mark & Lauren's and Mark & Jenn's fititos...

On this side of the line-up, we have Bryan's, Kathy's and the Davis' fičkos. The sun gave off a gorgeous glare in this shot. I added an edge blur to accentuate the natural and accidental effect...

FIATs look very sexy when set against Milwaukee's storied Cream City Brick, no? I have been waiting to get these little buggies in the city for such a long time. I was relieved we managed to stop at the Inn on a day not many other photo shoots were taking place...

We nearly had the street all to ourselves. While there, we were approached by one of the founding members of the Milwaukee Minis car club. Fate? They are evolving into a micro car club of all brands, makes & models. In fact, this particular Mini driver also owns a classic 500...

Maybe we will join them on their events in the near future? It would be great to expand the community to put more smiles on more faces. 

Alas, we neared the end of Saturday smile fest. Some of our members had other engagements to attend. We were thankful they made the time to be with us at all. Those able to hang out a little longer continued with us to another Città Crema destination...

No, we did not also have this classic Alfa along for the cruise. But I couldn't resist including it in this entry. It is a vision of loveliness and topped off our wheel time perfectly. We spotted it on our walk to where we would break bread. I thought I could work it into the blog and the FB page...

Finally, we stopped at Cafe Benelux for a leisurely, late lunch and refreshments. This is what our community is truly about ~ sharing our lives and interests in a way which makes this all too often big, cold world feel just a bit smaller and warmer. Many thanks to all in attendance!

Next month marks the anniversary of the weekend drive which sparked the idea to found this club. We propose a backroads drive through the Holy Hill area and lunch afterwards. The leaves are beginning to go through their Autumn transformations ~ So, there should be plenty of opportunities for amazing photos. We may also have the opportunity to take photos like this one on this very road...

But better, because we'll have more trims & models. You and your FIAT make this club what it is. So far, we think it is BRILLIANT! Thank you for taking part in the fun of living and reading this blog. Remember to visit us on the all new CC5C FB. Until we see you again...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Ricordando un Amico

Benvenuti amici!

Our club is one about celebrating life... And life behind the wheel of design & engineering genius. Early Thursday morning I read news of the passing of a person with a clear understanding of what that means ~ John Cunnyngham. Edwin Barron, a Virginia CC5C supporter and friend to John, was good enough to honor us with these photos and a fitting tribute to the man & his macchina.

John w/the Little Red Buggy, Red Shirt & 500T...

"John was a great Fiat enthusiast and loved his 500T. The more he learned the car and its capabilities the more he pushed it and had more fun. 

John's Dragon Companion ~ Ready to Rumble...

I believe no one drove the Dragon [an 11-mile of road, in Tennessee, reported to have 318 curves - edit @] more than John, once he learned about the road and realized how close he was to it he just made it a multi month drive. He would often call and share his experiences and could not wait for us to get together in Fall for the second Fiat On The Dragon reunion - it's in two weeks time.

The Little Red Flirt taking a break...

It's amazing how this little car has brought people together who otherwise would have never met. The enthusiasm and joy it brings is a true celebration with new found friends. I will always remember John and the spirit that carried him to be such a good natured person. I look forward to the Fall drive in his tribute and celebrate on the roads that brought him joy." - Edwin Barron

Taking in the View, but which one...

I would like to recognize John & his Little Red Buggy as honorary members of the Cream City 500 Club as well as commemorate, in other words celebrate, the occasion on our upcoming Gelato e Guidare cruise ~ doing exactly what brought them together with so many other FIAT life enthusiasts. 

Thank you, Edwin and the other CC5C representatives lucky enough to drive with the pair. We're certain your upcoming meet will be amazing. Live joyously. Love madly. Drive friendly.

Ride on John & Little Red Buggy ~ Beep-Beep...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Guardando Avanti

Benvenuti amici!

We thought we should throw some dates out there for future meet possibilities. To keep this as simple [for you and us] as possible, we propose meets take place the last Saturday of each month listed. The entries marked with a number in parenthesis signify the four major events of the year. Note: There are no meets listed for the months of December, January, February and June.

Some members shared their ideas for future meets and we are keen to exercise them sooner than later. One such idea is our upcoming post-cruise dinner and/or coffee [at Grand Cafe Benelux or Coquette Café]. Either of these locales are perfect for us to chill out and enjoy what the Historic Third Ward has to offer. Please, email RSVP to help ensure there is enough space available for the group.

Another example of member-driven ideas is the May 31, 2014 'Simply more' meet. For those who do not recall, 'Simply more' is the first North American FIAT campaign ~ "Everything you need & nothing you don't". Paul contacted me this week and proposed the drive-in idea. I think it fits perfectly into the CC5C, and FIAT, profile. You will find the proposed 'Simply more' plan among the meet dates below. Mark your calendars...

Saturday, 26 October 2013 - Halloween by 500!
(4) An October 2012 weekend drive with Franko & Dawn played part in laying the foundation for this club. They will celebrate one year with their 'cento in October. The occasion begs to be honored with a cruise. Haunted House or Six Flags Fright Fest? What do you think?

Saturday, 30 November 2013 - TBD 
Weather permitting, this will likely be the final cruise of the year. We are open to ideas on how to celebrate or whether you think this is doable. We realize many members may be out of the area celebrating Thanksgiving. 

A chilled out downtown dinner could be nice.

Saturday, 29 March 2014 - Spring Thaw Celebration!
March marks the month the 500 Prima Edizione FIAT 500s started their engines in North America. We will meet at our local studio and cruise from there.

Saturday, 26 April 2014 - FIAT 500 North America!
April marks the first month the FIAT 500 became widely available for purchase in North America. We will meet at our local studio and cruise from there.

Saturday, 31 May 2014 - Simply more/Drive-in meet!
(1) This could be our first real road trip together. As stated earlier, Paul suggested a cruise to the Jefferson County Hi-way 18 Outdoor Theater. This could be our coolest meet... until the FIAT Freakout!, that is.

Saturday, 10-13 July 2014 - FIAT Freakout!
(2) Yes, you read that correctly ~ a three day cruise. Next year, the Chicago chapter of FIAT Club America will host the 31st annual meet. July is the recognized birthday of FIAT s.p.A., the FIAT 500 and the Città Crema Cinquecento Club. This is the major FIAT event of the year!

'FIAT Parade' courtesy of & © Ben Davis

Saturday, 30 August 2014 - 1st CC5C cruise Anniversary!
(3) August marks the first club cruise. We had such a blast last month. How could we not celebrate the event? Just how we will celebrate is up for suggestions ~ e-mail away!

Saturday, 27 September 2014 - Meet & Eat!
Let's keep it simple. We will meet at a yet-to-be-determined location and cruise before sitting down for a chilled out dinner and/or coffee. The locale will be taken from CC5C member suggestions.

Saturday, 25 October 2014 - Halloween by 500!
(4) An October weekend drive to Haunted House or Six Flags Fright Fest? 

Saturday, 29 November 2014 - TBD
Weather permitting, this will likely be the final cruise of the year. We are open to ideas on how to celebrate or whether you think this is doable. We realize many members may be out of the area celebrating Thanksgiving. 

A chilled out downtown dinner could be nice.

Finally, here are some boss shots of another non-Wisconsin CC5C supporter. Like Edwin's rosso Abarth, this is another heavily-yet-tastefully modded mighty mouse. I must admit, these babies make me long for a Scorpione of my own. All photos are courtesy of the man himself. Thanks, Brian.

CC5C vinyl window badge looks brilliant on...

... Brian's (Florida Supporter) killer nero Abarth

Black on Black = Viscious


Somewhere a gear head is doing cartwheels

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Ricordi della mia FIAT

Benvenuti amici!

So, the missus, our 'cento & I were out for the regular Saturday errands. These runs typically include stops for a bit and/or bite of the old country. The missus is from Europe and I am one generation separated from the Caribbean. We love the accents, goods (foods included) and vibes of those places. Yeah, I know, we currently live in Wisconsin. At least we're in MKE ~ the taste of the Old World is largely Germanic ~ Cream City is a nice, small-big city w/a rich working class history, beautiful public parks system & a good chunk of Lake Michigan. I digress. One of our occasional stops is a little Puerto Rican spot called La Isla. It's located in an ever-changing area of the city. It seems every 5-10 years a new wave of immigrants moves in and the businesses change hands. This means there is always good eating to be had. 

Anyway, as usual, I parked La Fee Verte as far up the block as I could. I prefer people parallel parking behind her ~ I know they are more likely to see our Pretty Green, then. As we left the eatery and headed towards our coach, I noticed a tall, dark, older gentleman w/peppered hair peering in our direction. He was stood smoking outside a pub, so I was prepared for a pitch for some coin to buy another pint. "Oh, what a dumb-dumb chicken little" is a mantra I would silently chant to myself in just a short few moments. As we stepped into our Fičko, the man called out to me with rolling Rs, lapping Ls, hard Ds, Gs & equally hard Hs. 

"Nice car, sir. May I ask how much you paid?"

"Oh. Thank you. Sure you can. $XX,000.00."

"Really? For such a car, not a bad price. It's good. How do you like it?"

"I love it. I wouldn't own another car."

I leaned in, told the missus I'd be back, shut the door and walked over to the gent. He met me at the front of our Cinquecento & went on to tell me he owned a 750 when he was a young man. Knowing the 600/750 was the equivalent in popularity in Eastern Europe to the 500 in Italy, I said "The 750? That was successor to the 600 in Serbia." The man stopped, his jaw dropped a bit (while the edges of his mouth curled into a slight smile) and a glint of light twinkled in his eyes. 

"I was born in Macedonia - former Yugoslavia. This car was very popular for many years." He went on to reminisce about his youth in a FIAT, although I suspect the badge read Zastava. He commented on how lucky I am to own one and how much he loved the color. He said the styling was perfect and FIAT, for so much time, was the brand of all Europeans ~ that every European has a FIAT lodged in their childhood memories.

I stored that conversation deep in the recesses of my mind for another time. Many of the memories that gentleman shared mirror some of my feelings about our little one as well as some childhood memories the missus shared with me before. The very personal freedom in the stories of the man rang as so much more than tales of wielding a machine in hand. They were, to my ears, proof positive of the social importance of focusing on making people happy ~ even when it is something as simple as men named Giacosa and Giolito creating past & present FIATs or a group of people sharing their enthusiasm.

I would like to share, with you, a little musical dedication to a kind stranger whose stories made me smile a different smile as we drove off in our Cinquino. Hvala, wherever you are, for sharing a small part of your life with me.

Balkan Express by Gramatik

I hope to see you, your loved one/s & your 'cento very soon...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Le Tue Foto ~ Sicilia a Seattle

Benvenuti amici!

One of the club benefits I most enjoy is sharing your FIAT love with other enthusiasts. The aim is to create some glue to join our splintered fanatical experiences. One MKE member, Joe Noto, is visiting family in Sicily. We asked him to send some photos our way, if he had the chance. He has been kind enough to do just that. I thought I would share some here...

Classic Nuova 500 w/'68-'99 front logo

Panda ~ The other soon-to-be global FIAT

1998-2010 Multipla ~ Before Elle

Fine design in all trims, colors & sizes

Next, I would like to share a photo of the immaculate X1/9 which should be joining us on our September cruise. I met the owner, Sean Kane, at our LS not long ago. He was looking at Abarths and for a local FIAT enthusiasts club. As fate would have it, I was visiting the studio ~ dropping off CC5C cards & window badges. Luke directed him my way. I am looking forward to seeing/hearing reactions when Sean pulls up in this classic...

1982 X1/9 courtesy of Sean

Finally, we have two snapshots from a club supporter in Seattle Washington. John Koch has roots here ~ it is only fitting he show some Cream City love while 'jetting' around Emerald City. As with all member autos of this Celebrate Life society, I am honored with the logo displayed on his 'cento. Thanks for going through all the trouble, John.

Ciao! from Seattle courtesy of John

I hope you enjoyed the shots. I am looking forward to sharing yours in future entries. Send them our way via email. See you next Saturday!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Musica per la 'Cento

Benvenuti amici!

Music is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest inventions of humankind. Whether we "... use two sticks to make it in the nature..." or roll all the sounds we can muster into a Bittersweet Symphony, it has a way of penetrating the very fabric of our beings. 

When we are feeling 'azzurro' an upbeat tune can help us feel understood and ease the pain felt inside. When we are 'rosso' with anger an aggressive track can pop that bubble of rage and blanket us with a sense of release. When we are feeling lost & confused a simple lyric can help light and/or clarify the way. When we are in good spirits the right song can keep the party going! 

I am a serial playlister. From the heyday of vinyl 12" singles and cassette tapes, I have plotted sequences and dreamt up titles to create a musical mood. I am not sure why I do it or what motivates others to do the same, but there is a certain thrill in sharing or simply creating them for personal listening at home ~ on a walk or bus ride ~ while driving an automobile. 

Driving what I believe is the best 'city car' on the planet has only created [for me] more great excuses to create more playlists. I have gone so far as to create 500-themed playlists. One such playlist was taken from a 3-disc set of '50s-'60s Italian pop songs. This music represents the Dolce Vita era ~ Italian industries of music, film, fashion, motos and automobiles were firing on all cylinders. 

The music also captures a time when some of the finer things in life - like an affordable mode of personal transport - were finally within the reach of everyday people. The Nuova 500 we own is part of a revival of the time and the music of the era is perfect for a 'cento-driven cruise.

I have taken the liberty of putting together a short list of this music to share with you. I begin with what is my absolute favorite recording from the period. No matter the version, I cannot seem to get enough...

The original by Renato Carsone & Nisa

Cinematic cover by Sophia Loren & RC

Swing House hit by Yolanda Be Cool

I am not certain what the reason is, but this little ditty (and its many incarnations) makes me think of FIAT bringing the Cinquecento to North America. I guess, on some level, it must stem from the surprise I felt when visiting one particular FIAT 500 forum and reading some US owners desiring a more Americanized version of the car. Meeting safety regulations is one thing ~ creature comforts North Americans want added to the perfect economy car is quite another. I am thrilled the automaker chose to afford Roberto Giolito the freedom to define his vision without compromising said vision for foreign markets. Moving on...

Here are some more tunes from my 500 'Dolce' playlist ~ prepare to smile:

La Doce Vita - Fausto Pepetti

Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo - Sophia Loren

Personalita - Caterina Valente

Piccola - Adriano Celentano & Anita Traversi

For me, and I think this is also true for the beautiful missus, the 2007 Cinquino retains the social importance (equally affordable & somewhat indulgent transport for people from all walks of life) as well as the stunning looks of the 1936 & *especially* 1957 FIAT 500. I suppose that is part of the reason our LFV seemingly insists I always have a bit of this music at the ready. What musical vibe do you feel on a cruise in your 'cento? Share them with us.

On the subject of sharing, Edwin & his missus (two Virginia CC5C members) were kind enough to send these quick shots of their Fičkos w/CC5C window badge displayed. I would be remiss, if I failed to mention these are two my favorite  500s. The UK EsseEsse wheels are gorgeous and their modifications thoughtful. I am humbled to have my artwork on a so many out-of-state Fititos. Thank you for supporting the act of living life with passion.

Keep those photos coming, friends. Share your FIAT related stories. I am pleased beyond words to include them here. 

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

The Mission

Benvenuti amici!

We are a mere thirteen days away from what we hope will be another outstanding meet. I thought we should blog the route plan & locales early enough to give everyone time for review. We hope we have plotted out a route you will find surpasses the club-lauded route of our inaugural meet.

I propose we begin our upcoming meet where we ended our last. I, for one, think beginning where we finished would be a fresh twist for stringing our meets & great Milwaukee neighborhoods together. Why settle for same-as-it-ever-was cruise scenarios when our Fititos are anything but?

Begin: Halloween Extreme @ 200 W Silver Spring Drive 

** The southernmost spots are usually free **

Stroll to La Coppa ~ Enjoy gelato or espresso

Once all have arrived and had a chance to reconnect, we will head back to our beloved Fičkos. 

• >> Turn right out of lot and get across to the left turning lane
• << Turn left to Silver Spring Drive Continue to N Lake Drive
• << Turn left to Lincoln Memorial Drive Continue in left lane
• << Turn [soft] left @ STOP sign Continue to merge w/Mason Street
• << Turn left to Prospect Avenue Prospect Ave merges w/Wisconsin Avenue
• >> Turn right to Water Street
• << Turn left to Juneau Avenue Continue to old PBC/Brewhouse Inn
• >> Turn right on to 10th Street

End: Brewhouse Inn & Suites

The streets, and more to the point Cream City Brick buildings, in this area are perfect backdrops for photos. If we angle park our 'centos, we can fit them in a relatively small street area while [visually] blocking out any/all non-FIATs. Timing is somewhat critical ~ as it is not likely we will be the only people dropping in for photos. Arriving before 2:00PM will help us get the most out of our time. 

A few people have mentioned stopping at a café afterwards. I think it is  a great idea. Grand Café Benelux is not far from the inn ~ Coquette Cafe is another Cinquino-worthy café in the general area. I, personally, dig both locations and think they offer more perfect photo ops. If we choose to head to one of these hot spots, I propose we do so via Water Street to the Historic Third Ward.

Finally, for all interested, I will have a plethora of the new Italian language window badges on my person. If you want one to complement your English language version, or simply as a keepsake, do not hesitate to say the word and it is yours. Of course, we are looking forward to seeing more Cinquecentos with the club grille badge as well.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: The 2nd Meeting

Benvenuti amici!

Our first club meeting was brilliant! So many attendees expressed excitement in the idea of a sooner-than-later next, I was quick to propose another get together. Unfortunately, a scant few have communicated September unavailability ~ on the flip side, some new faces will join us. I never expected everyone would be able to/up for a cruise every month. In fact, I did not plan to meet every month. My hope was/is everyone can get together every 3 months (including one major event  and some scattered impromptu meets tossed in for good measure). Nothing more or less...

This is simply a quick follow-up to make clear my commitment to the fun of getting to know you better while slipping these sexy 'centos into the heart of Cream City. Club members have already proposed their own ideas for future cruise destinations ~ which is a major part of the fun! I  propose to begin the meet with gelato and/or coffee @ La Coppa. When everyone arrives we can cruise downtown via Lake Shore Drive.

Our destination will be the Brewhouse Inn & Suites (formerly part of the Pabst Brewing Company) @ 1215 N 10th Street. The inn is part of an exciting sustainability project. Maybe we can parade our MODern Art On Wheels to MAM as well? Considering the FIAT 500 & 500L are studies in an appreciation of the past while moving into the future, I think these would be perfect backdrops for  club photos & member snapshots.

Last week, I informed CC5Cers, GoBadges completed the CC5C grille badge ahead of schedule. They shipped all pre-orders Friday & I received mine today. So, here is the first photo of it for you to see. The badge is packaged with a touch of class. I am stoked to offer the option to this group. I will post photos of my cromo badge on La Fee Verte as soon as I wash & wax the past few days of sketchy weather off her. *Updated photos below*

My CC5C grille badge in GoBadges case

Our LFV w/cromo framed CC5C grille badge

Mark & Lauren's black framed CC5C grille badge

Moon's Bay Area Valentina repping CC5C

I look forward to sharing more photos of your 'centos with the window and/or grille group ID in the very near future. Stay connected for more Cream City 500 Club updates & other FIAT goodness...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@